Baku is situated on the western coast of Caspian Sea. In the vicinity of the city there are a number of mud volcanoes (Keyraki, Bogkh-bogkha, Lokbatan and others) and salt lakes (Boyukshor, Khodasan and so on). Baku has a temperate semi-arid climate with warm and dry summers, cool and occasionally wet winters, and strong winds all year long. However, unlike many other cities with this climate, Baku does not see extremely hot summers. This is largely because of its northerly latitude and the fact that it is located on a Absheron Peninsula on the shore of the Caspian Sea. Baku with its long hours of sunshine and dry healthy climate, is a vacation destination where tourists could enjoy beaches or relax in spa complexes overlooking the. At the same time Baku is noted as a very windy city throughout the year, hence the city’s nickname the “City of Winds”, and gale-force winds, the cold northern wind Khazri and the warm southern wind Gilavar are typical here in all seasons. The daily mean temperature in July and August averages 26.4°C (79.5 °F), and there is very little rainfall during that season. During summer the Khazri sweeps through, bringing desired coolness. Winter snow storms are occasional; snow usually melts within a few days after each snowfall.
The Maiden Tower
The Maiden Tower of Baku was built in the cylindrical form on the giant rock inclined towards the coast of the Caspian Sea. An oblong support (buttress) is attached to it from the seaside. The height of the tower on the northern part is 31 m, on the south – 28m. The diameter of the tower on the first floor is 16.5m. The thickness (width) of the wall on the first floor is up to 5 m. The interior part of the tower is divided into 8 floors. Each floor is covered with the arched ceiling made of cut stone. There are round holes in the middle of the stone ceilings. The holes are vertical.
Thus when you look through the round holes in the middle of the 8 storey ceiling you can see the floor of the first storey. The single entrance to the tower is the arched doorway in its western part 2 m in height and 1.10 m in width. The height of the first floor of the tower is 3 m, the average height of the other floors is 2.5m.
The researchers, who on the basis of its structure, attribute the history of the monument to the ancient periods, state that it dates back to the Zoroastrian period supposing it to be a Zoroaster cell, a fire- worshipper’s temple or a building relating to goddesses Mithra and Anahita. To their opinion, the Maiden Tower which was the fire-worshippers’ temple, can be built on the Caspian coast, among natural fires just in the ancient fire town “Fire Baquan” in VIII-VII BCE under the influence of the towered temples of Caspiana and Midiya.
Shirvanshah’s Palace
One of the masterpieces of the medieval architecture of the ancient city is the residence of Shirvan governors – the Shirvanshahs’ Palace Ensemble which has preserved its historic and architectural features up to date.
The Palace ensemble consists of 9 buildings: the Palace, the Divankhane (Court-House), the Dervish’s Mausoleum, the Eastern Gate (Portal), the Palace mosque, the Key-Qubad mosque, the Palace Burial-Vault, the Hamam (bath-house) and the ovdan (storage lake)The Divankhana (Court-House) complex is situated in the upper courtyard and its northern corner adjoins the residential building. The Divankhana consisted of 8 octagonal rotundas covered with the twelve-sided dome. It is connected with the octagonal hall through the open porch. The pointed arcade of the porch rest on the 9 columns which have specific capitals and
Pedestal The Palace is a two-storey building in the form of an irregular rectangle. For proper lightening of the Palace, its southern-east corner was slotted. Initially, there were 52 rooms in the Palace, 27 of them were on the 1″ floor, 25 – on the 2nd floor. The rooms were symmetric. On the 2h floor, the arched rooms for Shah and his family were located. The windows of the 2nd floor have a nice outlook over the sea. They are decorated with stone tracery (bar-pattern-shebeke).
Mohammad Mosque
Referring to an epigraphic inscription (Arabian Cufic writing) on the entrance door, the mosque was built in 471 Anno Hegira (1078-79 AD) by master rais Mohammmad Abubekir oglu. A small vestibule adjoins on the north of the one-room praying hall embellished with rich decorative elements.
Along the centre line of the fortress wall is a pair of windows covered with tracery. The hall covered with a pointed ceiling on the eastern and western parts was embellished with the windows with crumbling ornament. It is interesting that a band-shape ornament along the frame of the arcade was built with burnt brick which is alien to the Baku-Absheron architecture.
Icherisheher(Old City)
This place, known as “Gala” or simply “Old City” among the people, is the most valuable pearl of Baku, as well as historical and architectural reserve. Icherisheher, which operates as a museum under open sky, was built on the shape of amphitheater in a 22 hectare area. Located on a small hill on the shores of the Caspian Sea, the city is surrounded by fortress walls with a height of 8-10 meters and a width of 3.5 meters and trenches.
The settlement in the territory of Icherisheher, which was erected for centuries by the hard hills of the Caspian Sea, began in the Bronze Age. It is believed that natural oil and salt reserves in the area, as well as the location of the area in a favorable position on the seafront attracted others to the city.
The city has local structures. Since the archaeological point of view has not been studied, this is not exactly known as the settlement or fortification.
During the archaeological excavations, the cube belonging to the III-I centuries BC, the clay pottery of the IV-I centuries BC, the Iron Curls, celestial figure belonging to the Iron Age and the ancient columns of the pillars allow us to identify time when Icherisheher formed as a city.
From the first century BC, Baku was already a small, but perfect port city. In the VIII-IX centuries, crafts and trade developed in the Icheri Sheher.
International Mugham Center
The International Mugham Center of Azerbaijan is a center of Azerbaijani arts and music aiming to promote preserve and popularize the specific genre of Azerbaijani music – Mugham.The Mugham Center was built on initiative of the First Lady of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva.The Center covers 7,500 square meters and has 3 stories.
Funding was provided by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Design of the building was based on the elements and shapes of Tar, Azeri musical instrument used in performing Mugham. Concert hall fits 350 people, The Center also has a club,restaurant, study halls and record studios. The official opening of The International Mugham Center took place on December, 2008. The Center hosts Mugham Festivals, concerts, and recitals of various singers and performers.
Baku Boulevard
Baku Boulevard also known as National Park is a promenade established in 1909 which runs parallel to Baku’s seafront. Its history goes back more than 100 years, to a time when Baku oil barons built their mansions along the Caspian shore and when the seafront was artificially built up inch by inch. In 1900, the Municipal Horticultural Commission decided to plant trees and shrubs along the seafront. Kazimierz Skurewicz, a Polish engineer, designed a 20-meter-wide embankment, using vegetation that would survive Baku’s extremely hot, dry and gusty climate.
The park stretches along a south-facing bay on the Caspian Sea. It traditionally starts at Freedom Square continuing west to the Old City and beyond. Since 2012, the Yeni Bulvar (new boulevard) has virtually doubled the length to 3.75 km, extending the promenades to National Flag Square. In 2015 White City Boulevard added a further 2 km to the east of Freedom Square and reports have suggested that eventually the boulevard might be as long as 26 km, including Bibiheybat.
LANDMARKS
Alley of Martyrs first served as former cemetery,where were buried the bodies of victims of the March Events of 1918 which defended country in Battle of Baku.
Some of its first men who were honored by the newly instated memorial were those that died during Black January events of 1990 when Soviet forces invaded Baku.
During military campaign of 1992-1993, Armenia has occupied 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territory. The memorial was again used for men who died in the Nagorno-Karabakh War. As an outcome of the war, more than one million of by Armenia. Martyrs’ Lane is also home to Baku Turkish Martyrs’ Memorial, the larger memorial to the 1,130 Turkish troops, which were killed while fighting Bolshevik and Armenian forces in the Battle of Baku in 1918. Next to the memorial there is Martyrs Mosque also built by Turks.
Yashil Bazaar
The Yashil Bazaar or the Green Market of Baku is the largest bazaar in the city. So, do not miss it, if you want to taste Azeri delicatessen, because you are unlikely to find them in the local stores and supermarkets. Vegetables and fruits are brought to the market from all regions of the country. They have different tastes depending on the region of the origin.
The Yashil Bazaar is famous for its dried fruits: figs, oranges, chermies, apricots, grenade seeds, etc. It is better to go to the bazaar in the morning to buy the best and the most fresh products. Of course, if you do not like the crowd and you wish only to observe, then after dinner is the perfect time to visit. It is a place where you can find potatoes, onions, sweet and juicy tomatoes, carrots, Azerbaijani watermelons, pears, apples, cherries, strawberries, different spices,fish, meat and all you need. You can also buy varous pickles and marinades, jams, syrups, drinks… and, of course, tea. The Azeri tea is mostly black, but if you
want, you can find green or just herbal tea as well .Since the ancient times, the luxury of the East has been reflected in the magnificent palaces and richly decorated Bazaars, where everyone feels the touch of a finest silk, the shine of a pure gold, the sparkling of precious stones and aroma of expensive spices.Today, when those palaces are turned into museums,the soul of the city still exists in the bazaars of Baku.
WHETHER IT’S THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OR THE HAGGLE, YASHIL BAZAAR IS A GREAT WAY TO DISCOVER BAKU.
Horse Riding
Elite Horse and Polo Club is an elite equestrian club,founded in June 2012. Guests of Elite can have the opportunity to get acquainted with horse stables,walk with horses, go horseback riding, watch and participate in polo, relax at a cafe, restaurant or wine house located in the territory of the club.
There is also a specialized accessories store, where you can buy all the necessary equipment and accessories for equestrian sport. Little guests may enjoy visiting “Pony Club” that offers the horse riding lessons for children of early age conducted by the experienced and certified coaches. If desired, parents can obtain a permission for their children to participate in special ponies’ competitions organized by the Equestrian Federation of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Elite Horse and Polo Club regularly holds international competitions in equestrian sports (CBC Sport ArenaPolo World Cup Azerbaijan) and organizes meetings with famous cavalrymen, representing Azerbaijan abroad.
In Azerbaijan, Chovqan is considered a national sport.Various antique prints and ceramics suggest that the sport has a long history there. For example, a vessel with fragment pictures of a chovgan game was found during archaeological excavations in the Oran-Gala area, suggesting indirectly that the game existed during the 11th century around Beylagan city.Mentions of the chovgan game also appear in “Khosrow and Shirin”, a poem by the Azeri poet and thinker Nizami Ganjavi, and in pages of the Turkic classic epic “Kitabi Dede Gorgud”.
Shooting:
Our guests who love active recreation constantly choose our center as a place to rest. Here you can test your shooting skills, develop them and spend an unforgettable time. There are 4 stand stickers (flying targets) in the center. Also you can shoot at fixed targets, which range from 20 to 300 meters.
Each visitor coming to the center passes instructions on weapons and conduct rules with guns and patrons. Even after training, children at the age of 10-12 years can also shoot at flying and stable targets. Hitting the target will give you a feeling of pleasure and pride. The shooting center around salty lake Mirzaladi will be an ideal choice for you in terms of health and calm.Here you will have an active rest, not only will you get away from stress, but also experience the most beautiful of entertainment! To be absolutely sure of this, come and visit us with friends and loved ones.
Love to shooting starts with the first fire.
English
English
Francais
Deutsch
Italiano